Tribute to All Veterans

(Note: The poem below was published in Sandpointer, newsletter of then Naval Station Puget Sound, Seattle, WA, on November 8, 1991. I was then a petty officer, third class Hospital Corpsman assigned to Naval Medical Clinic, Seattle, WA. The poem was included in the collection of my poems registered in Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress, in Washington, DC, on December 23, 1997.)

A Tribute to All Veterans

Victorious veterans

of yesterday and today

who fought for freedom, 

peace and prosperity,

life and liberty;

who served with dignity

yet, survived and succeeded

to win victory for our country,

for the whole humanity---

we're proud of you!

You served and volunteered

to protect and to defend

our nation, our Constitution,

our people, our world

with so much love,

pride and patriotism,

valor and vigilance...

and, you survived

the scars and scourges,

the atrocities and bitterness

of war---big or small---

in Vietnam and Korea,

Grenada and Panama,

in the Middle East

and other crises---

national or international.

The experiences and memories

in those battlefields,

concentration camps

and war zones,

and of our lost comrades,

our beloved ones...

they can never be forgotten

for as long as you live,

for as long as memories linger

on and on, ad infinitum

valiant veterans---

hailed and honored

revered and respected

recognized and remembered

today, always and forever!

On this very special day

a memorable Veterans Day

we salute you,

pay tribute to you,

and thank you so much,

veterans of all times,

for your courage and dedication,

for your service and devotion

to our people and our nation;

we greatly honor you---

the unsung heroes

of war and peace,

of the past and of the present;

the ideal and inspiration

of all generations

of all times!

(c) 2013 by Chris A. Quilpa